Three Ira players were named to the Texas Sports Writers Association’s (TSWA) Class 1A all-state baseball team.
Karson Valentine was a second team selection at pitcher and earned a honorable mention selection at shortstop. He finished with a .447 batting average with nine doubles, one home run and 28 RBIs.
Shortstop Anthony Coy and third baseman Nathan Goodwin were also honorable mention selections.
Coy had a .455 batting average with nine doubles, three triples and 17 RBIs. Goodwin finished with a .333 batting average, two doubles and 14 RBIs.
Borden County’s Braxton Barnes was named to the first team as a first baseman. Outfielder Trace Richey was selected to the second team while catcher Zane Allen was a honorable mention selection.
Selections were determined by votes of TSWA members.
TSWA Class 1A All-State Team
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Taylor Hunt, Sr., Slocum.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bryant Latham, Slocum.
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers: Taylor Hunt, Sr., Slocum; Brandan Brown, Sr., Abbott; Jacob Schley, Sr., Fayetteville.
Relief pitcher: Taylor Lomax, Sr., Slocum.
Catcher: Trent Padron, Sr., Gorman.
First base: Braxton Barnes, Sr., Borden County.
Second base: Randy Guess, Soph., Slocum.
Shortstop: Hunter Pope, Sr., Abbott.
Third base: Alex Magers, Jr., D’Hanis.
Outfield: Joseph Byrnes, Sr., Slocum; Nolan Kaska, Sr., Abbott; Braden Rohde, Sr., Fayetteville.
Designated hitter: Rhett Newton, Soph., Avalon.
SECOND TEAM
Pitcher: Karson Valentine, Soph., Ira; Keagen Grantham, Sr., New Home; Alex Magers, Jr., D’Hanis.
Relief pitcher: Damon Gerik, Sr., Fayetteville.
Catcher: Matthew Urbanovsky, Sr., Abbott.
First base: Zack Stanfield, Sr., Trinidad.
Second base: Ethan Martinez, Sr., New Home.
Shortstop: Reed Bundy, Sr., New Home.
Third base: Austin Sarraf, Jr., Slocum.
Outfield: Zayne Kennon, Soph., Dodd City.; Trace Richey, Sr., Borden County; Dylan Martinez, Jr., New Home.
Designated hitter: Trevor Tidball, Soph., Union Hill.
HONORABLE MENTION
Relief pitcher: Zane Allen, Jr., Borden County.
Catcher: Zane Allen, Jr., Borden County.
Shortstop: Anthony Coy, Soph., Ira; Karson Valentine, Soph., Ira.
Third base: Nathan Goodwin, Soph., Ira.